About You
by MarlyCook
Summary: As she aged, she found something incredibly attractive about the salt and pepper look. He had it. Literati. 17 years after the finale.
1. I Do Things

_**Disclaimer:** I own Natalie and Andrew. No one else._

 _ **A/N:** This is set 17 years after the finale. In the events that the revival begins before I finish, just know that this and the revival will not be in the same "universe." Also, the beginning of each chapter will be in italics, and that's because it is excerpts from Jess' book "About You." _

_**Chapter Rating:** PG_

* * *

 _I do things now._

 _This sentence is so very vague, and something that sounds rather lackluster. But, you would know exactly what I meant if you read this._

 _But for those who aren't you, what I mean is simple. When I was young, and stupid, and blind, I didn't do much. I didn't socialize. I didn't engage in pointless chitchat about the weather. I smiled less, and I steered clear of events where it would be expected of me to hold conversations for long periods of time._

 _Now that I've grown (and not just in the literal sense), I see the importance of the mindless discussions. I see the reason that you were always so friendly and open to people who approached you._

 _I do things now. I go to parties. I entertain guests. I laugh at jokes I don't find funny. And, it has honestly made me a better person._

 _I learned that from you._

* * *

As she aged, she found something incredibly attractive about the salt and pepper look.

He had it.

Though his hair was still mostly dark, he had it cut short enough to where the grey in his short sideburns were visible. He was smiling at someone, and she noticed the prominent crows feet around his dark eyes. His face wasn't cleanly shaven, but the stubble looked very well kept. The lines around his mouth promised her he had years of laughter and happinessAnd that's all she ever wanted for him.

As her feet stopped in front of him, she couldn't wipe the smile off her face. "My God, it's like stepping into a time machine."

His head turned in her direction and when their eyes met, her stomach did a flip and her face grew incredibly hot. "Rory Gilmore," he said, and her whole body tensed up. How she loved hearing that again. His eyes fell to her hands to make sure he wasn't incorrect in his greeting. One year earlier, and he would have found a ring perched on her left hand. "You haven't aged a single day."

It was cliché, sure, but it sounded like an original line coming from his mouth. She learned rather quickly in her younger years that Jess Mariano wasn't one to give out many compliments—not that he wasn't thinking them, of course.

"You've just … aged really well," Rory replied with a laugh, earning a smirk from him as he turned his entire body to face her. "What are you doing here?"

"A signed copy of _Withering_ is being auctioned off tonight," he began, using his free hand to gesture to the stage while his other was firmly clutched around a glass of what looked—and smelled, she noted—like bourbon. "They asked me to say a few words about it, show my face..." he trailed off, taking a swig of his cool drink in his hand. "I figured you would know that, Ms. New York Times."

"Oh no," she said with an amused grin, unable to help but beam with pride at his success. Jess Mariano, the established author. It gave her chills every time she saw his newest novel on best selling shelves. Sometimes she just wanted to grab the book and wave it in the air, yelling ' _I know him! I dated him!_ ' "I'm not covering this event. I am here as a guest."

"That's right," he chuckled, putting the rim of his glass to his lips before taking a long sip. She could almost see the liquid run down his throat as he swallowed, and it was surprisingly sensual—staring at his neck like that. "When you're at the top, you get to enjoy these types of functions—not report on them."

Rory pushed her hair behind her ear as pink rose in her cheeks. She was modest, and that was never changing, no matter how many kick-ass articles she wrote for The Times. "Yeah, well," she began with a shrug, "I'm not the only big shot in the room. When do you go give your speech?"

"They told me around eight-thirty," he replied, looking around to see if anyone may have been looking for him. "It's the thirty-sixth item to be auctioned, and we haven't even got pass ten yet."

"Oh, it is definitely going to be a long night," Rory replied with a laugh, finishing off the martini in her hand and placing it on the empty tray that flew past her head. Having nothing in her hands made her nervous, and she desperately looked around for another glass.

"Are you here with anyone?"

There it was. His curiosity of her relationship status. The smile she wore on her lips grew at the sight of a fresh tray of drinks floating her way. She gracefully plucked one from the waiter and nodded a thank you to him before taking a very generous gulp. After it burned her esophagus and created a bulge in her chest that felt like a ball of fire, she locked eyes with him once more. "I am not," she replied, pushing her hair behind her ear. "We don't really get the plus one option at the paper."

"What a treat for the eligible bachelors here tonight," Jess replied, chuckling softly at her attempt to cover up the fact that she almost choked on her drink. "I am flying solo as well. I had a date, but she backed out."

"It's hard, isn't it?"

"What's that?"

"Dating," Rory replied, as if it were obvious. "I mean _I_ think it's hard to date at our age."

" _At our age_ ," Jess repeated in a mocking tone, smiling a little at her as he did. "I didn't think I was old enough to be categorized that way."

"We're forty!" The brunette exclaimed, laughing at the notion that Jess could possibly be one of those people who didn't accept their aging.

"I know full well how old I am. I just happen to think it's still a bit young. I mean, I don't need any help from a prescription, yet," he teased, winking suggestively which made her entire body jolt awake.

It was like her flushed cheeks were a permanent part of her appearance, because every word he spoke kept them a bright shade of pink. "Give it time," she replied with a smirk.

His laugh was real, and it sounded like an old mix-tape she pulled out from her past. It made her happy. His laughter used to be rare, a chuckle was normal, but getting a real, full laugh out of him was not. It was only when they were alone. Either in the car, on the dock, or the moments they spent tangled up on the couch, watching movies.

"Do you want to sit with me?" Jess asked her, taking a shot in the dark. She did say she was alone.

Whether or not this flirtation with Jess was a good idea, she couldn't help the side of her that needed this attention—especially from him. "You know," she began as she took another sip of her drink, finishing it off. "I would actually love that."

"Good to hear," he replied as he nodded over to his table. "Follow me, m'lady."

Once she made it to his table, she smoothed the dress out underneath her and sat down. Her eyes scanned the room from where she was sitting before they fell back on Jess. "Nice table," she replied, a small part of her feeling a tad jealous. She certainly didn't get one of the good tables.

"There's a difference in them?" He asked her with a smile, looking around the room. He was just told where to sit, having no idea there was a system. But, the fact that she noticed did make him feel slightly important—and she could tell.

His naivety was so pure, it made the smile on her lips grow. Without any prompting, she was served a drink and she thanked the waiter before downing it. "There is a big difference," she began, pointing around the room at the other tables that were spread about the room. "You have the best view of the stage, you aren't sitting by speakers, and you're on the opposite side of the room from the bathroom. No unwanted scents."

"You've been to many functions," Jess noted, smirking a little at her description. He glanced around to notice his surroundings and smiled more—she was right. This was a damn good table.

"That I have," Rory confirmed, leaning back a bit in her chair. She took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders a little. "So, how's your daughter?"

"Natalie? Great," Jess said with a nod, looking down at the brown liquid in the glass in front of him. "Fourteen, so at that really awkward age where she is actually outsmarting me in everything."

"Fourteen, wow," Rory commented, shaking her head. "I forget how old she is. I've seen pictures, and she's an absolute beauty."

Jess smiled a little and nodded to her, "thank you."

"I can't believe you have a teenage daughter," Rory spoke out loud, laughing a little at that. "And a gorgeous one at that. It's karma."

"Oh I have no doubt it is," he replied, glancing down at the almost empty glass in his palm. "She just started high school and she's already got guys calling my house at all hours of the evening when she comes to stay with me. It's a little ridiculous."

"I am definitely not looking forward to those days. Andrew is ten, and I want him to stay this little adorable dorky age forever," she said, shaking her head as her hair fell into her eyes. "We have kids."

"We have _kids_ ," Jess said, looking back at her for a moment with the same smile on his face. After a silent moment, he glanced up to the stage. "So we're on auction item number 27, and I am going to have to get ready to get up there. Before I inevitably lose you in this crowd, can I go ahead and ask if you want to get dinner tomorrow night?"

She almost choked on her wine, not expecting him to be so forward. He never was before. She looked at him after she got her drink down and laughed a little. "I'm sorry about that," she said, gently patting her chest. "Absolutely. I'd love to catch up."

"Great," he responded, standing up and taking one final gulp of the drink in his hand before he was to leave and actually speak in front of people—something he had yet to master. "Don't leave and when I get back we can exchange numbers and get our plans in order."

She felt her heart speed up at the opportunity of a date with her high school bad boy sweetheart. She briefly wondered if he still owned that leather jacket she vividly remembered pressed against her skin in their most intimate moments. "I'll stay right here."

* * *

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	2. Recklessness

_**Disclaimer:** I own Natalie and Andrew. No one else._

 _ **A/N:** This is set 17 years after the finale. In the events that the revival begins before I finish, just know that this and the revival will not be in the same "universe." Also, the beginning of each chapter will be in italics, and that's because it is excerpts from Jess' book "About You." _

_**Chapter Rating:** PG-13_

* * *

 _The importance of family has become apparent to me. Though it happened before I had my daughter, it still happened too late in life._

 _I was a selfish kid, and I hurt a lot of people. You know that, because I hurt you. As much as I regret that, my biggest regret in life is how I treated the man who took me in._

 _You always valued family. You and your mother had this bond that I was honestly, deep down, jealous of. I should have tried harder with her, and made your life easier. My pride kept me doing that. My jealousy kept me from doing that._

 _Family means more to me now. I have a relationship with my mother and my sister. My daughter is my favorite thing about life. And my uncle will always be someone I cherish more than most._

 _I make an effort. I open up._

 _I learned that from you._

* * *

The sound of pans crashing in the kitchen jolted him awake. _What the actual hell_ , he thought, jumping up and out of bed in immediate defense. He opened his closet and grabbed the metal bat he had on hand.

As he eased down the hall, he briefly regretted not thinking about the forgotten gun he had in his safe under the bed. He never thought about it, because he never needed it. It was too late now, and besides, he could do some serious damage with this slender piece of metal.

When he entered the kitchen and saw his blonde daughter scooping up dishes, he immediately relaxed and exhaled, deeply. "Jesus, Nat," he muttered, leaning the bat against the wall as he got closer. He bent down and picked up a few pans that had tumbled out of the cabinet.

"What?" She muttered, pushing the pans back into their space. She sighed and looked up at him as she stood up, standing at an average height of about 5'4'' against her father's 5'9''.

"What are you doing here, kid?" Jess asked with a smile, surprised but definitely not upset that she was in his house. He missed her when she wasn't. He kept one of the pans out and placed it on the stove before walking towards his large, stainless steel refrigerator.

Natalie shrugged with a half smile and hopped up on the barstool that was placed on the opposite side of the island. "Mom dropped me off—surprise, surprise. And I had a key. Sorry, I thought she may have let you know I was coming."

Since Jess' back was to Natalie, he rolled his eyes and tried not to let her know he was annoyed. Not at the fact that she was there, but at her mother. Reckless and irresponsible as always. He turned to face her with a grin, setting a glass down in front of her. "Don't be sorry, Nat, this is your home. What do you want to drink?"

"Orange juice, and can you make me French toast?" She asked with a big smile, batting her eyes, which she knew made her dad do pretty much anything she wanted.

He pulled the juice out of the fridge and walked over, pouring it in her glass as he smirked some at her begging. "Sure," he said with a shrug. "Is there anything you wanted to do today?"

"Nope, but I want to know how your night went last night. How much did _Withering_ go for?"

There were many things Natalie got from her mother. She had wild, curly blonde hair, a petite frame with long legs and a short torso. She was dramatic, very talkative, and never met a stranger. However, her deep brown eyes came from Jess and fortunately for him, she had a strong love for literature like him, too. It was probably because of the amount of books Jess read to her as a child. She was the first person to read his new books when she was at the age she could understand. While she was his biggest fan, she was also his harshest critic—even if that was rare.

"Well," he began, pulling out the bread from the cabinet over his head. "It was a first edition, but I'm not Jack Kerouac, so it only went for about $400."

"Lame," Natalie replied, rolling her eyes. "They wouldn't know a classic if bit them in the ass. "

"Language," Jess snapped, and then cringed at how he sounded. What an annoyingly fatherly thing to say. He turned and looked back at her with a laugh. "But thank you. In about thirty years it could possibly be a classic, but right now it's just another bestseller and I'm still alive enough to track down a signed copy. I was grateful for $400 for the cause."

"Yeah, yeah," Natalie smirked, taking a sip of the juice in front of her. "You were a little bummed, you can admit it."

Under any other circumstances, his pride might have felt a little wounded. However, with Rory Gilmore sitting beside him for most of the night, he didn't let a damn thing bother him. His smile must have told on him, because his daughter narrowed her eyes and tilted her head to the side as she stared at her dad.

"What is this? What is with that smile? What did you do last night and please leave out any unnecessary details that will make me vomit," Natalie said with a grin, pulling her wild hair back into a ponytail and wrapping her elastic band around it.

He laughed at her comment, leaning back against the kitchen counter as he beat the egg together in the bowl with vanilla and cinnamon that he pulled down from the cabinets above him. "Nothing. I just ran into an old—" he stopped, his eyes widening as he thought about it. "Shit. I have a date tonight."

"Language," Natalie mimicked, before drinking the last drop of her juice. "Date? With who? Your old friend you ran into at the auction?"

"Mhm," Jess mumbled, setting down the bowl as he left the kitchen to find his phone. He was going to have to cancel since Natalie was in. He didn't want to leave her alone like her mother did all of the time.

The petite teen slipped off the stool and followed him through the living room and down the hallway. "What are you doing?" She called, watching him disappear into his room.

He grabbed the phone off of his nightstand and walked back out of the room with his head down, staring at the brightly lit screen. He absentmindedly looked for Rory's number as he mumbled an answer to his daughter standing right in front of him. "I have to text Rory and cancel our date."

"Rory? As in "Rory" Rory? As in Lorelai's daughter that you dated in high school?" Natalie asked him with a grin. Her nana, Liz, had told her stories, as did her Aunt Lorelai. Jess, however, usually kept his dating and past life private from his daughter even when she prodded—and she often prodded about Rory.

He lifted his head to meet her eyes with a sigh and gave her a look, raising his eyebrow at her. "Stop. Don't go down that rabbit hole."

"Don't you dare cancel that date," Natalie demanded, reaching forward to snatch the phone from his hands. "You haven't been on a date in like a year, and this is _Rory_."

"Why do you say her name like that?"

"Don't play dumb, dad. You can pretend this isn't a big deal, but it is."

"I am not talking about this with my daughter, so you can drop it. I'm going to call Rory and reschedule."

"I'm fourteen! I can stay here by myself. Please go on the date. What if you don't get this opportunity again?"

Jess stared at her for a moment and lowered his phone as he narrowed his eyes. "Why is this so important to you?"

"I want you to be happy," Natalie mumbled after a minute, shrugging as she did. "Is that so bad?"

He couldn't help but smile. She had a big heart and she always showed how much she cared about her parents and their happiness. He sighed and reached forward, ruffling her hair and earning a grunt from her as she tried to smooth it back out. "I'm going to call Meredith and see if she can come over here so you aren't alone."

"I don't need a babysitter," Natalie grunted, folding her arms across her chest in aggravation.

Jess smirked some and walked past her, doing his best to hide that he was really excited about his night. He went to the kitchen and grabbed the bowl, watching as she walked back to the kitchen. "Think of it as a girl's night."

* * *

He loved to make her laugh, and it seemed like it had either gotten easier—or he had gotten funnier. It was awkward at first, the pleasantries when he picked her up, the small talk on the way to the restaurant, and of course the awkward silence when they were choosing their meal. However, once they had a drink in their system, the conversation flowed easily, much like it did when they were young.

"How is it that we have both been living in New York for years and have yet to meet up?" Rory asked him with a smile, shaking her head a little as she took another bite of her pasta.

"I'm going to say it has something to do with the night of Luke and Lorelai's wedding."

Her eyes widened and she blushed a deep crimson at the mention of that night. She glanced down at her plate and laughed a little, biting her lip as she did. "I thought you might have not remembered that."

"Not remembered that?" Jess asked her, raising his eyebrow at that insane possibility. He shook his head with a smile, glad that she wasn't horrified at the memory. "Of course I remember that. There is no forgetting that night."

"Burned in your memory as well, then?"

Jess couldn't lie and say he wasn't shocked by that admission. The events that followed the night they drunkenly slept together in Luke's bachelor pad above the diner tended to infer otherwise. "Always."

"What were we? Like twenty-four?" Rory asked him, still bashful about the entire situation.

The way she acted the next day, and every day since then, he was always afraid she was angry with him, but she didn't seem to be too bitter at the moment. It was for the best. They would have hurt each other again. They were too good at that. "You were twenty-four," he confirmed, grinning. "I had turned twenty-five a couple of months earlier, I think. Drunk and reckless. How I lived my twenties."

"Maybe, but it was fun, and I think it was worth it," Rory replied, running a hand through her hair with a laugh. "I mean, it was definitely great."

"Oh? You remember it that vividly, then?" Jess asked her with a broad smile that was hardly controllable. He wasn't a blusher, but this would certainly be a time where he possibly could. "If it makes you feel better," he began as he watched her timidly stare back at him, "I remember it that well, too."

She distractedly twirled the noodles around the end of her fork, adverting her eyes from him after his admission. "Good to know," she muttered, smiling down at her plate.

"Should we talk about it?" Jess asked after a moment, looking up at her. "I mean it's probably pointless now, but we can at least get it out of the way so this awkwardness is gone."

Rory glanced up and shrugged with a deep breath. "Sure. Let's talk about it."

* * *

 _Reviews make me write. So please tell me what you think! Let me hit 20 before the next chapter is up!_


	3. Effort

_**Disclaimer:** I own Natalie, Andrew, Ryan, Maggie, Brant, and Meredith._

 _ **A/N:** This is set 17 years after the finale. In the events that the revival begins before I finish, just know that this and the revival will not be in the same "universe." Also, the beginning of each chapter will be in italics, and that's because it is excerpts from Jess' book "About You."_

 _No worries, you'll see some regular characters in the coming chapters. Like Lorelai._

 _ **Chapter Rating:** PG-13_

* * *

 _I put more effort into relationships._

 _Romantic relationships, I mean._

 _That doesn't mean any of them have been successful, exactly, but at least I can say that isn't my fault. Most of the time. Sure, I'm still pretty private, and not exactly an open book, but I've tried a little harder._

 _There's a memory burned in my mind whenever I'm dating someone. The night I got concert tickets to The Distillers for us, and surprised you at that hockey game. You told me not to listen to my voicemail when I got home, but I did._

 _It was that night I realized I would never be enough for you, even if I wanted so desperately to be. However, the next relationship I had, I tried harder. It had nothing to do with her being better than you, because that was impossible._

 _It had everything to do with not wanting to make the same mistakes. It had everything to do with proving you right when you believed in me. Even if you had no reason to._

 _I put more effort into dates, into loving someone, into making them feel like they are important._

 _I learned that from you._

* * *

 _October 3, 2009_

 _Jess made his way to the diner, running a hand through his hair and down his face. He never imagined a Stars Hollow wedding would be fun. His mother's insane shindig wasn't exactly a model example of a good time._

 _He had a little too much to drink, but he planned to crash in the apartment above the diner that he used to share with his uncle. Not having to worry about getting behind the wheel made it easier for him to throw a few back._

 _When he got inside, she claimed she was looking for a corkscrew, and though he knew he wouldn't be able to control himself alone with Rory again, he did agree to help her find one. But it was upstairs. And being in that place with her, that was dangerous._

 _After less than a minute of searching, he found one by the fridge and tossed it to the tipsy brunette waiting by the door. She looked different, almost worldly. It took everything in him not to pull her close and rip off that bridesmaid dress that clung snug to her curves._

 _She offered to share the wine, and there wasn't the slightest hesitation from him. One glass led to another and eventually, she pressed her lips against his in the dark bedroom that used to be his. He wasn't one to lose control of a moment, so he quickly took over and ran his hand through her curled hair as he brought her closer to him._

 _He could have said no, let her go back to the new and improved crap shack, and then he wouldn't have woken up in tangled sheets next to his naked ex-girlfriend._

 _But he did wake up with her, and the events of the night before were blurred in his inebriated state. The morning greetings were awkward as she stumbled around the bed to grab her clothes. Her cheeks were flushed, and he was trying to soothe her with comforting words. They were both frantic._

 _A familiarly unfamiliar hug was their goodbye once they were dressed. And that was that._

"Rory," Jess began, shaking his head as he glanced down at the dish in front of him. "I meant to call you, you know. I wanted so badly to call you after that, but it was literally three days after that night that Maggie called to tell me she was pregnant. My world was completely turned upside down, and I just didn't want to burden you with it all. But, I am so sorry. I never wanted to treat you like some one nigh—"

"No," she began, quickly interrupting him as she held her hand up to stop him from apologizing. She smiled back at him and sighed a little. "Don't be sorry. I could have called you, too, and I didn't. Mainly because I was so embarrassed, and a little intimidated."

"Go on," he stated, smirking a little at her confession. She watched his face go from concerned to immediately amused.

"Don't look so smug," Rory warned, though she couldn't help but smile either as she took another bite of her dinner.

Jess shook his head, holding his hands up in surrender as he stifled the chuckle in his throat. "No, no, I'm sorry," he began, smiling up at her flushed cheeks. "It's just … I think I'm a little surprised that you said you were intimidated."

"Of course I was," she stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "Jess, you were already an established author with your second book making the best seller's list. You were part owner of a publishing company. You had a nice watch and a clean car, and you weren't the lost boy I dated in high school. It was intimidating." She paused as she watched his face, the amused smirk faded and his features were soft. "I was jobless and living in Stars Hollow until I figured out my next move. I felt like a failure. Hence my incessant drinking that night."

It surprised both of them when Jess' hand reached across the table and landing on top of Rory's. His smile was soft, as if he were comforting a small child. It didn't make her feel like a child, though, it made her feel safe. "Are you kidding me?" He finally said with a soft chuckle. "Rory, I never felt more insecure than when I was in your presence. You always shine brighter than anyone in your vicinity."

"No, Jess," Rory retorted, her tone final—like she was scolding Andrew. She composed herself with a laugh and shook her head. "You don't get it. You're the one that steals the room, and you don't even know it."

* * *

Her neighborhood was a lot like his. Neither of them lived in the city, wanting to have a more suburban life for their kids. They learned they had that in common at dinner.

Rory was surprised at the changes in Jess' life and personality, and yet even more surprised that he was oddly still the same. When he pulled into her drive, she felt her pulse quicken. She had no idea if he expected to be invited in or not. She didn't know if she was even ready for that.

His voice brought her back to reality and she snapped her head towards him, not meaning to seem so startled. "What was that?" Rory asked him, taking a deep breath as she tried to get it together.

Jess smiled back with a laugh and glanced between her and her house. "I said thank you for agreeing to dinner. If it is alright with you, I wouldn't mind doing it again."

"Why am I so nervous?" Rory blurted, pressing her palm to her forehead as a nervous giggle fell out of her mouth. She felt her skin grow hot as she realized her admission. When she glanced up at Jess, he had an eyebrow raised and that annoyingly sexy smirk on his lips.

"Well," he began, turning slightly to face her. "Probably because you think I expect to be invited inside. I don't, by the way."

"Of course you don't," Rory exhaled with a smile, ashamed at her assumption. She shook her head and leaned back against the seat. "But, you could, you know."

He was a little taken back by that, especially given the anxiety she just portrayed at the possibility of it. "What about—"

"Oh no," she began, holding her hand up. "Andy is with his dad. If he were here, I would definitely not invite you in."

Jess nodded and wiped his palms against his jeans. Rory watched and wanted to burst into laughter at how absurd this was. They'd done this before, they'd known each other for over twenty years. And yet it was like they were nervous teenagers getting back from their first date.

"I would," he began, smiling back at her to show her he meant it, "but Natalie's mom dropped her off at my place this morning, and she's at home waiting on me."

She couldn't control the smile that spread across her face. Something about him being a father—and a caring one at that—made him that much more irresistible. She leaned forward without much thought and found his lips in the dark car. Her hand cupped his jaw, her palm pressed against the stubble he wore so well. Jess' shock was apparent, but he barely hesitated before he caught her lips between his.

When she gently leaned out of the kiss, she waited a moment before slowly opening her eyes. As soon as she did, she was staring into a deep brown pool that had a way of sucking her in. She sucked in a deep breath and smiled, her teeth lightly sinking into her bottom lip. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't," Jess corrected her with a grin, his thumb grazing the apple of her cheek. "You were just doing what I should have already done. So, does that mean I do get a second date?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Rory asked with her eyebrow raised. She hadn't moved from her spot, still inches away from him. She watched the corners of his mouth move slightly before he leaned in and kissed her again.

* * *

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, she pressed her back to it with a giddy smile. She turned to her right and glanced out the window, watching his headlights back out of her driveway.

Her cheeks still felt flushed from their passionate kiss in the car and her heart was still thudding in her chest. When she finally came down from her high, she quickly reached into her purse to check her phone that had buzzed three times when she was in Jess' car.

Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. Rory rolled her eyes and swiped her finger across the screen to check her messages.

 _I tried calling you._

 _Oh never mind. Now I know why you wouldn't swap weekends with me. Have a date, I hear?_

 _Well, when you're done abandoning your child, can you call me?_

Her hands were shaking in frustration once she finished reading the messages from her ex-husband. She dialed his number and walked towards the kitchen, flipping on the light as she waited for him to answer.

"Rory," he answered, his tone neutral as always—hiding the annoyance that was apparent in his texts.

"Abandoning my child? That's rich," she snapped, dropping her purse on the counter as she walked to the coffee machine and turned it on. "This is your weekend. The papers speak loud and clear on that, and you've cancelled or wanted to swap the last couple times you were supposed to have him. If you want to give up all of your paternal rights, then I will gladly take you back to court. However, for now, I am just trying to follow the papers."

"Woah woah woah," Ryan began, his tone changing to jump to his own defense. "Someone was quick to get defensive tonight. Your date must have sucked."

She pressed her hand against her forehead as the black liquid dropped into the pot below. "My date was just fine, Ryan," she sighed, rubbing her temples. "How did you even know where I was?"

"Andy and I ran into Brant at Scoops," Ryan replied, distractedly, or was that distastefully? He never cared for Brant anyway, and she could only assume that Andy probably begged to leave with Brant since he let him get away with a lot.

She clenched her jaw, making a mental note to strangle Brant when she next saw him. She knew he probably mentioned it to Ryan to rub it in—it was no secret they both had a strong dislike for each other. Still, it did nothing but cause headache for her. "Well, my date was fine," she stated once again. "Is there a reason you wanted to talk or were you just trying to ruin my night? Is Andy okay? Can I talk to him?"

"Jesus, Rory, way to be over dramatic," Ryan snarled as he exhaled. She could practically hear the disdain in his voice and she almost hung up right then and there. "He's fine, but he's asleep. I wanted to see if I could drop Andy off at your house in the morning."

"Yeah, sure, fine," Rory replied, pulling the pot off the warmer and pouring herself a large cup of coffee. "Just call me when you're on your way. Is that all?"

The line was silent, and that silence was familiar, like all of the times he was too busy to talk to her when they were married. Finally, he spoke, but it was a short "yup" followed by two beeps letting her know the call was dropped.

* * *

 _Thank you all so so much for the wonderful reviews! I am overwhelmed with the love for the story! Please continue, and hopefully I can hit like 35 reviews this time!_


	4. I Don't Run

_**Disclaimer:** I own Natalie, Andrew, Ryan, Maggie, Brant, and Meredith._

 _ **A/N:** This is set 17 years after the finale. In the events that the revival begins before I finish, just know that this and the revival will not be in the same "universe." Also, the beginning of each chapter will be in italics, and that's because it is excerpts from Jess' book "About You."_

 _ **Chapter Rating:** PG-13_

* * *

 _I don't run. The kid you knew—he was a runner. He ran when the smallest problem appeared._

 _The circumstances surrounding my daughter's birth were not the greatest. However, I wasn't like my father. I didn't run, and that was the first time in my life that I could say that._

 _Running never solved anything, and instead made everything worse. You know that better than anyone. I made your life difficult when I left without a word. I regret it everyday._

 _I need to stay in one place. I need to be there for the difficult times, because people count on me. I need to be a dependable._

 _I learned that from you._

* * *

Jess pressed the heels of his hands to his forehead, putting pressure right above his eyes where his headache was forming. He'd been staring at the blank screen in front of him for an hour, erasing every sentence he wrote because it just wasn't enough.

It had been three days since his date with Rory, and he couldn't get her off of his mind. They'd shared a couple of texts and one phone call in the time since their dinner, but still hadn't set plans for their second date. Was that what was keeping him so unfocused?

He sharply exhaled and pushed himself away from his desk, walking to the kitchen to grab his phone. When he glanced up at the clock above the mantle in his living room, he noted she was probably at work and didn't want to disturb her with a call.

 _So, about that second date, what do you say to me cooking for you?_ He texted instead, feeling a surge of confidence that he'd gained since their first relationship.

Within seconds his phone was ringing and he couldn't help the grin that spread across his scruffy face. He waited at least two rings and answered, leaning on the table behind him as he did. "Letting me down easily over the phone?"

"You? Cook?" Rory asked instead with a snicker, making him smile even more. He knew he had changed a lot, he was just hoping that was okay with her—that she wasn't reminiscing on the old him.

"You remember I have a daughter I have to provide for on occasion, right?" Jess asked her, unable to help but join her in on the laughter. "And I am Luke's nephew."

"Ah, that makes sense," she replied, and he could hear the grin through her voice. "Well, that actually sounds great. My mom is coming to town Thursday to stay for the weekend and there's a possibility I could get her to keep Andy that night. Is Thursday okay for you?"

"It's perfect, actually," Jess replied, running a hand through his hair that he realized needed a trim. "Natalie won't be at my house until Friday."

"Oh good," she replied, "so I'll see you Thursday?"

"Well, as long as Lorelai won't hate me for taking you away from her, then I will definitely see you then," Jess said with a smile, looking down at his shoes as he stood in his kitchen.

A small chuckle came from the other end before she eventually replied. "Trust me, mom has been pushing me to go on a date for a while now. She'll be perfectly fine with it."

* * *

He was uncharacteristically nervous as he ran around the kitchen, grabbing for his spices, vegetables, knives, and pots from different cabinets around the room. When he glanced at the clock, he realized she would be there any second and he was almost done with the meal. When he heard a knock, he wiped his hands off on the hand towel resting by the sink before darting through the living room and opening the door.

"Hey there," Rory said with a smile, clutching her purse close to her. "I didn't know what to bring since you insisted you had everything covered."

Jess grinned as he pulled her inside and closed the door behind her. "Are you kidding me? You brought the best part of the night."

She laughed and rolled her eyes, looking up at him as his hands were still placed on her waist. "You have gotten so much better at this flirting thing."

"I have," he agreed, looking back at her as the urge to kiss her took over his senses. He didn't want to get ahead of himself, but the look on her face suggested she wanted the same thing. "It comes kind of naturally with you, though. It's crazy that it feels like no time has passed, and yet, the disappointment of missing out on all those years still hangs pretty heavily above us."

"I feel the same way," she replied with a small smile, moving her free arm to rest on his shoulder. "I do not regret my son for even a second, but I do agree with you on the missing out part. I feel like we didn't get a good shot."

He was silent for a moment, but nodded to agree with her statement about her kid, because he felt the same about Natalie. "Well, let's not let that put a damper on the evening. I made Chicken Parmesan."

Rory's face immediately brightened, and her smile grew as she slowly moved away from him to start to the kitchen. "Well, it smells incredible. I can't believe you cook!"

"Your lack of faith in me is insulting," Jess teased, laughing as he followed her into the kitchen, gently brushing past her to turn the dial down on the oven. "I'm not a wine man, but I remembered what you got at dinner and got a bottle for you tonight."

She pressed her teeth into her bottom lip and walked to the end of the bar where she saw the bottle and a wine glass. "You didn't have to do that," she began, as she pulled out the already loose cork, and poured herself a glass. "Your house is very nice. It's not what I pictured."

"Why? Very dad-like?" Jess asked with his signature smirk. He pulled the chicken out of the oven and placed it on the counter. "I wasn't one for cleanliness until I dated a girl who was extremely obsessive when it came to her house being clean. I guess I got into the routine of it, and liked living in a nice place."

"Oh," Rory replied with her eyebrows raised, a smile still on her red-stained lips. "I didn't know we were already jumping into the ex conversation."

He laughed, that genuine laugh that she adored, and turned to face her with two empty dinner plates. "I'm sorry. We should at least wait for dessert to get into all of that."

"You made me dessert, too?"

"Do you honestly think I have forgotten the sweet tooth of the Gilmore girls?"

"Such a smart man," she replied, leaning forward on the island as she sat down on the stool behind it. "Are we eating here?"

"If that's okay. Natalie has an art project on the dinner table, and I'm scared to move it."

"This is perfect."

* * *

"Are you making yourself comfortable?" Jess called from the kitchen as he dried off the last of the dishes he used for dinner.

Rory was seated comfortably on his leather couch, leaning back against the cushions with a glass of water in her hand as she thumbed through the book on his coffee table. "Oh I'm fine! Just looking through your copy of Life of Pi. You know, I really could have helped you clean up."

"Nah," Jess replied, wiping his hands before walking in the next room to join her. He walked around the couch and sat next to her, peeking over to see what she was reading.

"I always loved reading the notes you put in the margins of my books," she said, running her hands over the pages with a soft smile. "They were so eloquent and powerful. It was no surprise to me that you wrote a novel, much less became this amazing novelist."

"Stop," Jess said with a laugh, taking the book from her hands. "You're making me blush," he lied, nudging her with his shoulder. He set the book down and turned slightly to face her.

"I'm serious!" Rory said as she turned towards him, her face beaming as she playfully swatted at his knee. "I never had someone discuss literature with me the way you did."

"Oh come on. You didn't date fellow book worms like yourself?"

"Well, some of them were, but not like you. You and I … our conversations about the books we were reading were so passionate and in depth," she replied, shaking her head some at the memory. "You were such a hard person to read, but I couldn't stop myself from wanting to be with you or even near you."

His eyes bored into her blue irises as she spoke. With a smile, he glanced down at the book in his hands and cleared his throat. "I never did that for anyone else. I mean, girls I used to date, they would borrow books of mine that had notes. But, I never stole their copy of Howl and scribbled in it," he said with a chuckle, glancing up at her.

"Oh, I see," she said, leaning against the back of the couch. " _Now_ we are having the ex talk."

"I guess I could keep it short. The longest relationship I had that wasn't Natalie's mom was about a year. She wanted to move in with me, and I just wasn't ready. She felt like I was scared of commitment, and it wasn't that. I just didn't think I could commit to her. And Maggie, oh man, that's another story," he began, laughing some, albeit a little bitterly, at that.

"How so?"

"Maggie was a friend of my co-worker's girlfriend," he began, exhaling deeply as he fell back against the couch. "She was always a bit hard to handle—a loose canon. But she was interesting, so I was attracted to her initially. We had this one night thing, and of course, she gets pregnant. I thought I would run away from it, like I had my entire life. But, I couldn't. I thought about having a child in this world that would turn out like me, because their father wasn't around. I didn't want to be Jimmy. So instead, I tried to be in a relationship with Maggie so our kid could grow up with both parents not hating each other."

Rory nodded, pulling the throw pillow out from behind her, and hugged it close to her chest as she listened. "How long were you together?"

"We broke up when Natalie was three, but it was everything but a normal relationship. We were definitely not in love. For me, it was just because we weren't compatible and I spent more time taking care of her than I did actually being a boyfriend to her. For her, it was because she was so unstable. She had a bit of a drinking problem, she was wild, and sadly, she reminded me of the Liz I grew up with. And honestly, she hasn't changed much. She never wanted to be a mother, but I would never tell Nat that."

"I'm sorry," Rory said, leaning forward and placing her hand on his arm. "I didn't know it was like that with you two."

Jess smiled at her and glanced down at her hand, pulling it off of his arm to lace it with his. "It's okay. It wasn't all bad, and I still care about her. That is only because she was a friend to me, and she's Natalie's mom. But, she's definitely not on my list of favorite people."

She nodded with a light laugh and looked down at their hands. He could feel her pulse in his palm and watched her face flush. "Well," she began, biting her lip like she did earlier—and it was a nervous habit of hers that he missed. "That's understandable. However, I don't know if I can be as nice when I talk about Ryan."

"Yeah?"

"After Logan, I seemed to date the same kind of people over and over again. For some reason, I was attracted to the men of high society. I was blinded by men in power, and when I look back, I am disgusted by my choices," she said with a laugh. "I had one boyfriend while I was on Obama's campaign trail that was decent. He was a writer, like me, and came from a middle class upbringing. I really liked him, but I interviewed a Senator and his family once and liked their son more."

He raised his eyebrows, surprised by this side of Rory. He vividly remembered that day he met her boyfriend from Yale, when he saw her in those clothes, with that guy, in that house, and it made him cringe. She seemed to be back to her old self, but it still shocked him to know that was a lifestyle she actually craved. "That's surprising."

"Well, it was like that for a while. DAR son after DAR son, Grandma set up after Grandma set up," she said, waving her hand in the air with a smile. "My mom thought I was insane, but always bit her tongue. You know, I can say this about Logan. He was the only one of those types of people I dated that ended up being different. He did his own thing in the end after fighting so long against the life his dad wanted—the life the Huntzbergers wanted."

"Oh yeah? He seemed _super_ different when I met him," Jess replied, rolling his eyes with a smirk as she playfully hit his leg again.

"I'm serious," she laughed. "Did you know he proposed to me? I said no, and I never regretted that decision. But I felt so horribly about the way we ended things. So, almost a year after our break up, I sent him a letter apologizing, explaining my reasoning, and wishing him well. I never heard back, but then when my Grandfather died, he came to the funeral with his fiancé. I thought I was going to be jealous, but I wasn't. I was so glad for him, because he seemed so happy. He's running this non-profit business that just fits him. I was actually more jealous to hear about you having a kid with someone than I was seeing him with Stella."

Jess nodded with a small smile and shrugged his shoulders as he looked back at her. "Well, I'm glad he didn't turn out to be a total douche. If it makes you feel better, I was insanely jealous when I heard you were getting married."

"Good to know," she giggled—like her seventeen-year-old self that always felt giddy around a young, brooding Jess. "So finally, to Ryan. Someone I met working in Washington, D.C. He was just a young law student who started a little late, and was struggling to pay the bills. We met and began dating. We got married after he graduated and it was great. He was a junior associate and just kept climbing the ladder. We had Andy, and it wasn't until Andy was 4 and Ryan became partner, that things changed. He became exactly like every high society jerk that I dated before. He was self-absorbed and just didn't give a damn about me or Andy anymore."

His brow was furrowed as he leaned forward to her, their hands still laced together. "Rory, I'm not using a line here when I say that guy is a complete idiot," he said, smiling a little at her. "I would have given anything to have been in his place. Not law school, of course, too stuffy for me."

After her laughter subsided, she met his eyes and took a deep breath. "I can't believe we're back here," she said, just barely above a whisper. Their closeness was becoming hard to ignore.

"Me neither," he replied, slowly bringing his free hand to push her hair behind her ear. He gently grazed her cheek and placed his palm against her face before slowly inching closer until their lips touched.

What started out as a soft, innocent kiss quickly intensified and Rory's free hand moved to the nap of his neck. He loosened his grip on her hand and moved it to her waist, tugging her closer on the couch. Her shirt slid up and his hand grazed her bare skin above the waistband of her jeans. She gasped slightly into the kiss and he moved his kisses from her lips to her jawline and down her neck.

Rory bit her lip at the sensation of his mouth on the sensitive area beneath her ear. She shifted slightly and leaned back against the arm of the couch, bringing him to hover over her.

He gripped the hem of his shirt after briefly moving away from her and was seconds from pulling it over his head when the front door swung open. Startled, Jess dropped his shirt back down and jumped up, walking to the foyer. "Stay here," he said to Rory as he made his way to the door.

As he rounded the corner, he saw Natalie and sighed, dropping his shoulders that felt tense from the panic that someone was breaking in. She smiled, weakly, at him and shrugged one shoulder. "I'm sorry. I got home from Jane's and there was a note on the counter from mom saying she wouldn't be home tonight. And I hate staying alone. Can you pay the cab driver?"

"Oh Nat," Jess said with a sigh, walking over and pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry. Of course, I'll pay him. I just want to warn you, I have company."

Natalie's eyes widened and she slapped her hand to her forehead. "Oh dad! Your date! I'm so sorry. I should have gone back to Jane's house, but it's a school night and her mom is weird about that, and—"

"This is your home, Natalie," Jess responded, cutting her off before she could complete her sentence. He was biting his tongue about her mother, not wanting to bad mouth her, but he was beyond pissed she put their daughter in this position. "Go on inside and I'll pay the driver."

After grabbing his wallet from the counter and walking down the driveway to pay for her ride over, he went back in to find Rory talking to Natalie in the kitchen with her purse on her shoulder. He smiled as he entered and caught the tail end of their conversation.

"I read it when I was like twelve, and I thought I liked it, but I didn't really love it until I re-read it this year," Natalie finished, smiling some as she adverted her eyes to Jess. "We were talking about _The Snows of Kilimanjaro_."

"You're forcing Hemingway down her throat, too?" Rory asked with a laugh as she turned to him with knowing eyes.

Jess smiled some as he scratched the back of his neck. "I try," he managed, clearing his throat slightly. He nodded to her purse before he spoke. "You know you don't have to leave."

"It's getting late, and I wouldn't want to steal any of Natalie's time. I'm sure we will see each other soon," Rory replied. "It's so nice to meet you, Natalie. Your dad has said nothing but great things about you."

"Thank you," Natalie said with a smile. "I could say the same thing about you. I hope to see you soon."

"Me too," she said before turning and heading towards the door.

Jess followed her to the door after giving a nod to his daughter. "I'll walk you out," he said, opening the door for her. When they got to her car, he sighed and shook his head. "I told you Maggie was a mess. I'm sorry about this, but I just can't…"

"I'm a mom, Jess. I completely get it," Rory replied, leaning forward to place her hand on his scruffy cheek. "This just means our next date needs to be sooner," she said before her lips met his again. His hand fell to her side and he kissed her deeply, trying not to push it too far even though it was killing him.

When he finally pulled away, he pressed his forehead to hers and breathed out as he tried to catch his breath. "I better get inside."

"See you later, Jess, thank you for tonight."

"Oh anytime," he said with a light chuckle, stepping away from her so she could get in her car and drive away.

* * *

 _Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I love writing this one! Please please review and let me know what you think!_


	5. Confrontation

_**Disclaimer:** I own Natalie, Andrew, Ryan, Maggie, Brant, and Meredith._

 _ **A/N:** This is set 17 years after the finale. In the events that the revival begins before I finish, just know that this and the revival will not be in the same "universe." Also, the beginning of each chapter will be in italics, and that's because it is excerpts from Jess' book "About You."_

 _ **Chapter Rating:** R; for language_

* * *

 _There were times before where I'd bottle up my feelings and let them boil inside me until I became this angry kid who hated everything._

 _My mother used to do things, say things,_ not _do things, and I'd just let her. I would let her treat me and everyone around us like crap and in return, she got treated like crap. Never by me, though. No, I let her run all over me. I never stood up for myself, and I ended up closing myself off to everyone._

 _You were a strong person. You rarely had anyone give you trouble, but when you did, you said something about it. Not in a defensive way, but in a way that made them back off. I admired that so much about you._

 _I can express my anger a little better now, and I learned that from you._

* * *

Rory walked through her front door, quietly, seeing most of the lights were off. It wasn't too late, so she was surprised Andy was already in bed. However, the glow from the living room told her that she jumped to that conclusion too quickly. With a smile, she peeked in and saw _The Hobbit_ blaring on their TV while Andy shoved chocolate covered peanuts in his mouth and Lorelai poured Snow Caps in her popcorn.

"Hey guys," she said in a low voice, dropping her purse on the ground and making her way to the couch. "Is this the second one?"

"Yes, shhhh, mom," Andy said, grabbing the remote to turn it up.

Rory held her hands up in defense and smiled a little at his enthusiasm. He wasn't a rude kid, and acted just like Rory when it came to movies. Unfortunately, he wasn't much into literature yet. He read certain series, but he was definitely more into comic books, science fiction, and supernatural video games.

Lorelai moved the bowl off of her lap and nodded to the next room. Rory followed her lead and walked behind her into the kitchen. She turned on the light and plopped down on a stool, smiling at her daughter. "Spill, offspring. Why are you home so early? Could he not perform? I mean, he is forty now. I learned long ago that some men's sex drive fails long before retirement age."

"Mom!" Rory shrieked, laughing as she poured coffee for the both of them. "No, it wasn't that. Natalie came home unexpectedly. Apparently her mom just left her a note saying she wouldn't be home."

"Wow," she responded, reaching for the steaming mug that Rory handed to her before sitting beside her. "That's a little harsh."

"It's also pretty common, I take it. According to Jess' reaction to the whole ordeal. Did you or Luke ever meet Maggie?"

The older Gilmore nodded as she took a long sip of her coffee. She swallowed and cleared her throat a little before looking up at her daughter. "We met her a couple of times, and she was always a little wild. She was nice, but she never seemed to be content."

"That's kind of how Jess described her," the younger replied, leaning back in her chair as she looked down into the dark liquid.

After a silent moment and the constant vibration of Lorelai's leg bouncing under the table, she finally turned to fully face Rory and threw her hands up. "Well?" She exclaimed. "Look, I'm all for talking about the serious stuff, and I feel so horribly for Natalie, but please spill! I am dying to know how Rory and Jess: The Later Years is panning out."

"Your compassion for others astounds me," Rory retorted, shaking her head before she inevitably smiled. "He cooks, and he cooks well. He's definitely Luke's blood if we didn't already know that."

"The snarky attitude and monosyllabic tendencies kind of made that clear, but proceed."

"And he's got a really nice, clean house. His book shelves make me insanely jealous, and he has oddly good taste in furniture—"

Lorelai held her hand up, her eyes closed for dramatic effect before she laughed slightly. "I'm sorry, Rory, you seem to think I give a shit about his décor. Will you please give me the juicy details of your date? Please and thank you."

"I told you, Natalie came home early. There wasn't much juice," she replied with a shrug. "We got a little heated on the couch, and it stopped before it went anywhere."

"Uh huh," Lorelai nodded with a raised eyebrow. "Well, is he the same Jess you were annoyingly crazy about in your teenage years?"

Rory's smile lit up her face, even if it was small and barely noticeable. She took a long sip of her coffee and sighed, content. "In some ways, yes, and in other ways, he's so much better."

* * *

Jess was up a little earlier than usual the next morning, making sure he had breakfast available for Natalie when she woke up to go to school. As he was sliding her scrambled eggs onto a plate, he heard her bedroom door open and heard the light sound of her feet down the hallway.

"Morning," she said with a smile as she walked over and plopped on the stool, already dressed and ready to go. "You're making breakfast," she began, narrowing her eyes. "What did you do?"

"Woah," Jess laughed, turning to hand her the plate. "A dad can't make his kid breakfast?"

"Not when she's used to grabbing a pop-tart or fixing cereal before going to school," Natalie laughed, taking the plate and fork from his hands.

Jess leaned against the island with a shrug. "I just feel bad that you had to come over here last night," he admitted, reaching over to take a bite from her eggs. "We will do whatever you want this weekend, and I will personally take you to school this morning. No bus."

"I'll take advantage of that," she said with a laugh, swatting his hand away. "But, I have to leave in ten minutes, so you should probably go get dressed."

* * *

Once Natalie was dropped off at school, Jess made his way to the other side of town. He parked his car on the street and got out, walking across the road and into a building with a lime green door and a large, painted wooden sign that read _Curl Up and Dry_.

As soon as he stepped inside, the strong aroma of hairspray and dyeing products hit his nose and made him cough.

"Hey sweetie, Maggie's in the back mixing up some color for me," he heard, and glanced up to see a familiar woman in her fifties smiling at him.

"Thanks Janet," Jess smiled back and nodded to her, moving past her to get to the back room. Maggie may not be a stable person, but every time she has come crawling back to Janet for her job, Janet has always given it to her. When he pushed past a cloth curtain that hung loosely in a doorway, he clenched his jaw at the sight of her. "Maggie," he said, leaning against the doorframe.

She turned around and sighed when she saw him, before placing the bowl on the stand beside her. "What is it, Jess? I'm busy."

Her eyes were surrounded by dark circles and she looked as if she was still wearing yesterday's makeup. It didn't worry him, just made him angrier—she was out partying. "I see that," he muttered, shoving his hand in his pocket. "Do you have a few minutes where I could talk to you outside?"

"Whatever you have to say, say it to me here."

"You have customers, Maggie, I don't want you to lose your job or make a scene for you," he replied. "Let's step outside for a minute."

Maggie undid the apron around her small frame and threw it on the ground before walking past him towards the exit. "Janet, I'm taking a break," she said in passing as she walked out into the fresh air with Jess trailing her.

Once they were out of sight from customers, Jess set his jaw and glared at her. "What the hell are you doing to our daughter?"

"Oh what are you talking about? She was at your house last night—safe and sound. I got her text."

"Only after she got home to find you not there without any intentions of returning! You can't do that to her, Maggie. She is a minor, you can't just leave her alone."

Maggie ran a hand through her hair and turned away from him, frustrated. "I left her money for food, and the fridge was stocked. She would have been fine. She's fourteen, Jess. You and I both stayed by ourselves when we were her age."

"And you really want her to live the life that we did as kids?" Jess asked her, shaking his head. Maggie's upbringing was similar to his, something they had in common that once made them compatible. "You live in a crap area, Mags, and only God knows why because I pay you out the ass in child support. I agreed to let Natalie live with you, because I was on book tours and barely home, and because it's what you both wanted, but I won't allow you to do her like this on your days to have her."

"Then maybe she should live with you," Maggie said, shrugging her shoulders. "My boyfriend's band is going on tour, and he asked me to go with him."

"Oh jeez," Jess snarled as he rolled his eyes. "What are you? Twenty?"

"You jealous?"

"Not even a little bit," Jess replied, honestly. "I'm concerned that you're really telling me you want to go on tour with this guy you've been dating all of ten seconds while you leave your daughter here. Without her mother."

Her nonchalant face made him angrier, but he said nothing—waiting on her to explain herself and assure him she was playing one of her games. She looked back at him and dropped her shoulders, exhaling dramatically. "God, Jess," she began, rolling her eyes. "It was just an offer from him, and you know, it may do some good for her to be away from me. You know I'm not that great of a role model."

"Oh, I definitely know that," Jess responded, shaking his head at her. "Don't you dare run off with this guy. Natalie is about to start high school, and she is going to need you."

"I need to get back to work," Maggie replied, ignoring his demand as she pushed past him. "I'll see you Sunday when you drop Nat off."

Jess closed his eyes, tightly, clenching his fists as she brushed past him and stalked back into the salon.

* * *

After a weekend of doing whatever Natalie wanted, Jess woke up Sunday morning ready to take her back to her mother's place. He was torn about it, wanting to keep Natalie with him but knowing she was at that age where she needed her mother more than she needed him—or at least that's what he thought.

He reached for his phone on the nightstand, hoping to see a text from Rory. Instead, Maggie's name was lit up on his screen. He opened the text and read it with wide eyes, angry at the words in front of him.

 _Natalie has a key to come get her things. I called her this morning to tell her what was going on, and she was fine with it. It's a European tour, so I'll be gone a year—hopefully I'll make it for Christmas. Thank you for being a good dad. I'm sorry, I just need this._

"What the fuck," Jess muttered, pressing his hands to his forehead. He thought about Natalie and jumped out of bed, hurrying into the living room to see her curled on the couch watching the music video countdown that's been on every Sunday morning since even he was a teen. He watched her for a minute before putting on a smile. "Morning, Nat! What's on the agenda for today?"

"I guess we go pack up my shit and move it in here," she said with a bit of a bitter tone.

Jess walked over and sat down beside her, letting that curse word slip for the moment—she had every right to be angry. "Okay, well, if that's what you want to do," he said, not exactly knowing what to say. "If it makes you feel any better, I am really happy to have you live with me."

The small teenager looked up at him with a small smile and leaned over, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Thanks for being my dad."

"Pleasure is all mine, kiddo."

* * *

Thanks for all of the wonderful reviews! Please continue! More Rory and Jess-ness in the next chapter!


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